1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk storage case for storing a disk-shaped medium therein, especially, a disk-shaped medium such as a CD (compact disk) not stored in a cartridge, and a disk tray for holding a disk-shaped medium therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to a conventional disk storage case of this type, as a first example, there is known a disk storage case which is disclosed in JP-A-10-106203. This disk storage case has a main body, a cover body, and a tray including a plurality of hold projections which can be engaged with a center hole formed in a disk-shaped medium to thereby be able to hold the disk-shaped medium, while the tray is mounted into the interior portion of the main body.
As a second example, there is known a disk storage case which is disclosed in JP-A-3-64279U. This disk storage case has a main body and a cover member, while, in the main body, there is provided a plurality of holding projections integral therewith which can be respectively engaged with a disk-shaped medium to thereby be able to hold the disk-shaped medium.
However, in either of the above-mentioned conventional disk storage cases, there are still left the following problems to be solved. That is, in the first example, although its function to hold the disk-shaped medium is excellent, there are required at least three parts, namely, the main body, cover body and tray. This means that the number of parts are rather large, which not only raises the cost of the disk storage case but also increases the whole thickness of the disk storage case.
Also, in the second example, there is not found such problem as in the first example. However, to facilitate the mounting and removal of the disk-shaped medium, the hold projections must be provided in such a manner that they can be flexed relatively easily. Here, in the first example, to increase the quantity of elastic flexure of the hold projections, there is formed a large opening in the central portion of the tray. Even in the case where a large opening is formed in the tray in this manner, no problem arises because the tray is mounted in the interior portion of the main body.
However, as in the second example, in a structure in which the holding projections are formed integral with the main body, in case where there is formed a large opening in the vicinity of the hold projections, such large opening is exposed to the surface of the main body. This is the reason why, in the second example, the hold projections do not include any opening. In order to secure a certain elastic flexure quantity without forming such opening, the hold projections cannot be formed thick so much. Therefore, the strength of the hold projections becomes insufficient, or the hold projections fall down to the center side of the main body due to change with time so that their power for holding the disk-shaped medium becomes weaker gradually.
Also, in the conventional disk storage cases, especially, in the second example, it is difficult for the disk-shaped medium to be engaged with the holding projections automatically (for example, using an automatic wrapping machine). This is because the positioning of the center of the disk-shaped medium with respect to the centers of the holding projections is difficult. Therefore, there is demanded a disk storage case which allows the disk-shaped medium to be engaged with the hold projections using an automatic wrapping machine.